Medicare Drug Benefit Enrollment Varies in California
Enrollment in prescription drug plans through the Medicare drug benefit "varied widely" in the San Francisco Bay Area, particularly among beneficiaries who had to enroll themselves in a plan, the San Jose Mercury News reports.
Excluding veterans, retired federal employees and retirees with employer-sponsored drug coverage -- groups who did not need to enroll themselves in a new drug plan -- San Francisco has the highest enrollment rate in California at 70%.
Overall, 80% of eligible Medicare beneficiaries in Santa Clara County receive prescription drug coverage. However, the percentage declines to 62%, when groups who did not need to enroll themselves in a new drug plan are excluded.
According to the Mercury News, the enrollment rates -- excluding veterans, retired federal employees and retirees with employer-sponsored drug coverage -- is about 33% in rural counties, such as Mariposa and Mono counties (Feder Ostrov, San Jose Mercury News, 4/21).